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1962 H. GELLING 3,016,007

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE PRINTING 0F DECIMAL SIGNS IN THE AMOUNTS PRINTED IN CALCULATING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1959 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE TO'R. Z

Jan. 9, 1962 H. GELLING 3,016,007

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE PRINTING OF DECIMAL SIGNS IN THE AMOUNTS PRINTED IN CALCULATING MACHINES Filed April 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,016,007 NIECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE PRINT- ING 0F DECIMAL SIGNS IN THE AMOUNTS PRINTED IN CALCULATING MACHINES Helmut Gelling, Ulm, Germany, assignor to Walther Buromaschinen Gesellschaft m.h.H., Niederstatzmgen, Wurttemberg, Germany, a firm Filed Apr. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 806,019 Claims priority, application Germany Apr. 17, 1958 8 Claims. (Cl. 101-93) The invention relates to a mechanism of calculating machines for controlling the printing of the decimal point and the printing of commas serving for dividing the amount to be printed into groups of decimal denominations, which machines being provided, between the digital type carriers, with decimal sign type carriers for the decimal point and commas and having a particular setting device for printing of these decimal signs.

With known mechanisms of this kind a decimal type carrier is provided for at the right hand side of each digital type carrier, with the exception of the first one from the right, which decimal type carrier is provided either with a decimal point type or a comma type. For the second to the fourth denominations from the right are provided decimal point types, for the higher denominations comma types, so that the decimal point can assume two printing positions, namely on the right of the second and the third denomination from the right, if the requirement is to be fulfilled that the entire amount or the part of the amount to the left of the decimal point is to be divided into groups of decimal denominations, each having three denominations set apart by commas. This suffers from the disadvantage that merely the amounts having decimal fractions with two denominations to the right of the decimal point can be printed with the correct decimal signs in order to avoid printing of decimal points on the left of the proper decimal point instead of commas.

It is an object of my invention to provide means for selecting a decimal type or a comma type or none of them for printing between each two neighbouring digital type carriers along the entire region of denominational orders of the printing mechanism.

Between each two adjacent digital type carriers a decimal sign type carrier is located which carries at its free end a decimal point type and a comma type. Each sign type carrier can be positioned in one of three printing positions in which the decimal point type or the comma type or neither of them can be printed.

In order to cause that one of the two types or neither of the two will be printed, the decimal sign type carrier will be accordingly displaced with respect to the printing line in its rocking plane by the setting means.

The setting means formed as a cam-cylinder is provided with cams of two difierent heights arranged along helical lines, and cooperating with counter levers connected with movable guides for the decimal sign type carriers, which are adapted to be adjusted by the cams into the comma-printing-position or point-printing-position, whilst when the counter levers sense a camless part of the circumference of the cam-cylinder adjustment into the nonprinting position takes place.

The setting means formed as a cam-cylinder is composed of cam-discs filed on a square shaft, one cam-disc being provided for each denomination, and having each one cam of a certain heightfor the decimal point printing and several cams of half of said certain height for comma printing, the cams of the discs denominationally following one after the other being arranged along helical lines. In the event of printing a decimal fraction having no digitals on the left hand side of the decimal point, the corresponding counter lever, on its rocking into the decimal point printing position caused by a high cam, lifts the neighbouring zero printing bridge clement, whereby the hammer situated on the left of the decimal point will be released and in the same time, through the bridge connections of the locking levers of the hammers, the hammers of the denominations following directly to the right of the decimal point which are adjusted to azero, will be freed, Whereas the other hammers of thedenominations to the left of the decimal point remain locked so that, on the left of the decimal point, printing of the commas is suppressed. It but takes place on the right of the decimal point.

In order to restrict the number of setting manipulations for the decimal point in a series of operations following one another, the cam cylinder is, in its position of rest, arranged to control printing of the decimal point between the third and second denomination. As with such machines, next frequently, the number of pieces is to be printed in which the decimal point is dispensed with, it is suitable to omit entirely the high cams in the second set-ting position of the cam-cylinder. In a following turning position, then, a high cam may be arranged between the fourth and the third denomination in order to have ready the decimal point printing for decimal fractions with three denominations after the decimal point as will appear for kilogramme, kilometre, and the like.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a vertical section through an adding machine with a printing mechanism in which only the parts being of some account are diagrammatically represented, the illustrated decimal sign-type-carrier being adjusted to decimal point printing.

FIG. 2 shows an elevational view of a decimal signtype-carrier adjusted to comma printing.

FIG. 3 shows a corresponding view showing the decimal type carrier adjusted to non-printing.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the printing mechanism together with the setting device.

FIG. 5 is an unroliing of the cam-cylinder.

By amount keys 1 (FIG. 1) setting pins 2 (FIG. 1), for

instance of a ten key adding machine arranged in a transverse movable setting pin carriage 3 are adjusted in the path of lugs 4 of dilferential members 5, the latter are each associated to one denomination of the machine. The diiferential members 5 being shiftably mounted on cross bars 6, 7 by means of slots and are influenced by springs 8 and urged to be moved to the right. The differential members cooperate with a restoring bar 9 extending across them and being fixed at its both ends to connecting rods 11 provided each with arcuate slots 12 engaged by pins 13 of crank arms 14 which are secured to a main driving shaft 16 rotating in the direction of the arrow 15. Both of the connecting rods 11 are horizontally guided by means of slots on a cross rod 17 and by the engagement of the ends of the restoring bar 9 into grooves 18 of the side walls of the machine. The differential members 5 cooperate, by means of a gearing 19, with the wheels of the totalizer 21 and can be brought into mesh with them by means of a totalizer controlling mechanism not shown in the drawing upon their movement to the right or to the left or upon both of these movements, so that the amount set by the keys will be transmitted to the totalizer 21, or the amount contained in totalizer 21 will be transmitted to the differential members 5. By means of a gearing 22 at their right hand ends, the differential members are permanently in mesh with toothed wheels 24 mounted on a cross shaft 23 which are secured to larger toothed wheels 26 meshing into Patented Jan. 9, 1962 rods 28 and 29 by means of slots and are urged upwards by springs 30. The type carriers 27 are provided with movable zero and cipher types 31 cooperating with striking lugs 32 of type hammers 33 for striking the adjusted types 31 against the platen 34 in the printing line 35.

The type hammers 33 are rockably mounted on a cross rod 36 and are usually held in the represented position of rest by a releasing bar 38. against the action of tensile springs 37. The releasing bar 38 is secured with its ends to two levers 41 rockable about pins 39. The type carriers cooperate by means of lugs 42 with a restoring bar 43 which, together with lever arms 44 fixed to its ends and mounted on a cross bar 36, form a bail which, under the action of a not shown spring, is put by means of a roller 46 at the lower arm 45, against a cam disc 47 secured to the driving shaft 16.

In the represented position of rest of the machine the type hammers are held by both the releasing bar 38 and the restoring bar 43. On setting into action the machine and revolving the driving shaft 16 the restoring bar 43 will be rocked to the right by the cam 47 into the position designed with 43' and immediatelythereof, when the shaft 16 has been turned by about 180, the releasing bar 38 will be rocked into the position 38' by striking ofa pin 48 on the cam 47 against the lower end of the lever 41, so that also the releasing bar 38 freesthe type hammers for their printing movement when in the related denominations a printing has to be performed.

Usually, however, the printing movement of the different type hammers will be still prevented by bent over ears 49 of zero printing slides 51, which in the position of rest of the slides 51 assume the position 49' behind the lugs 53 .of the type hammers. These zero printing Slides 51 are mounted slidably on cross rods 53, 54 by means of slots and cooperate, by means of their lower ends 55, under the action of tensile springs 50 with cam discs 56 secured to the toothed wheels 26. The zero printing slides 51 engage with their ends 55 and in their position of rest cutting outs 57 of the cam discs 56, when the ditferential members arrive at their zero position whereat the bent over ears 49 assume the mentioned dash and dotted position 49 and lock its type hammers, so that on the adjusting of all differential members and type I carriers 27 to zero a printing does not take place.

When, now, one of the difierential members 5'is moved out ofits zero position and adjusted to any digit posi tion, the associated zero printing slide 51 will be lifted bythe cam disc56, whereby the bent over ear 49 arrives atthe upper position, illustrated in FIG. 1, and frees the corresponding hammer. This hammer, therefore, will perform its printing movement after being released by the restoring bar 43 and the releasing bar 38.

The zero printing'slides are provided with lugs 58 and with oblique ears 59 which extend over the lugs '58 of the adjacent denomination to the left. Consequently, when a slide 51 will be lifted by the cam disc 56, on settingof a digit in the corresponding denomination, also theneighbouring slide 51 to the right will be lifted when its type carrier 27 remains on zero and likewise the type carriers following directly to the right, so far as they For the printing of the decimal signs (comma or points), now, particular decimal sign type carriers 69 are provided for which are, as FIG. 4 shows, arranged each between two neighbouring type carriers 27. These decimal sign type carriers 61 are provided, at their right hand, end with a decimal point type 62 (FIG. 1) and thereunder with a comma type 63; they are slidably mounted on the cross rod 29 mentioned above by means of slots 64 at their front ends and engage by means of pins 65 slots 66 of counter levers 68 rockably mounted on a cross rod 67. Under the action of tensile springs 69 they lean against lug faces 72of the type hammers 33 by means of pins 71, so that, as long as the corresponding typehammer will be held in its position of rest, they likewise will continue to be heldout of touch with the platen 34. The counter levers 68 will be moved against a cam cylinder 75 under the action of tensile springs 73 by means of counter lugs 74, which cam cylinder being provided with high cams 76 and half-high cams 77. When a counter lever 68 is engaged by a high cam 76 its slot 66 assumes the position illustrated in FIG. 1. Thereby the back end of the corresponding sign type carrier 61 is rocked somewhat upwardly so that the decimal point type 62 is adjusted in the printing line and on releasing of the corresponding type hammer 33 this Sign type carrier 61 will be pushed forwardly by its spring and strikes with its decimal point type against the platen.

. When, however, the counter lug 74 of a counter lever 68 is put on a half-high cam 77 (FIG. 2) the slot 66 assumes a position in which the comma type 63, on its printing movement, arrives at the printing line 35 and a comma will be printed. When the counter lug 74 is put, in an intermediate position on a camless part 78 (FIG. 3) of the cam cylinder 75, the comma types'does not arrive at the printing line on the forward movement of its carrier 61, besides this it will beikept at a distance from the platen by striking with the left wall 79 of the slot 64 against the bar 29. In this event, none of the both decimal signs, comma or point, will be printed.

The cam cylinder 75 is composed of different cam discs '81 (FIG. 4), one for each denomination, which are filed on a square shaft 82 (FIG. 1). On the'right hand end of the shaft a turning knob 83 is secured by means of which the cam cylinder can be adjusted into fifteen different turning positions in which it can be resiliently locked by means of a resilient locking device not illustrated.

Each cam dism 81 is provided with one high cam 76 for the printing of a decimal point and with half high cams 77 for the printing of commas spaced by a distance corresponding to three denominations. The comma and point cams of the denominations are placed along a helical line (see the unrolling, FIG. 5) so that the printing of the decimal point by turning the knob 83 is shifted from denomination to denomination and in a similar manner the printing of commas with the distance of three divisions will be shifted.

Since with the turning of the knob 83 the decimal sign type carriers 61 in their plane of movement simultaneously will be rocked correspondingly upwards or downwards with their type end, the printing of the decimal point can be adjusted over the entire region of the denominations of the printing mechanism; thereat also the dividing of the amount both to the left and to the right from the decimal point by commas in groupsgeach having three denominations, will be taking place.

Inorder now, in the case of a decimal fraction having no significant digit on the left of the decimal point to print the zero on V the left of the decimal point and simultaneously to eliminate the commas to the left from the decimal point, but to print, in a given case, the commas to the right from the decimal point, the counter levers 68 (FIG. 1) are provided with arms 84 which extend below lateral ears 85 of the zero print slides 51. When the counter lever 68 is adjusted in its decimal point printing position by a high cam 76, the arm 84 strikes against the ear 85 from below and lifts the zero printing slide 51 into the position represented in FIG. 1, in whch the car 49 frees the lug 52, so that the type hammer 33 of the denomination on the left of the decimal point likewise will be released in the same manner as if the cam disc 56 would have been turned out of its zero position. On the releasing movement of the releasing bar 38, therefore, a zero will be printed on the left of the comma. As the zero printing slides 51 located on the left of this zero remain in their lower position also their hammers are locked, in these denominations, neither zero nor points being printed.

With certain adding or calculating machines, for instance invoicing machines, amounts frequently occur with a favoured position of the comma and the commas.

Most frequently the comma will be printed between the third and the second denomination from the right, for instance, when the amount in question is related to Mark and Pfennig, Hektoliter and Liter and the like. Likewise frequently the number of pieces will be printed whereat the comma is omitted. In order to simplify the adjustment for such comma printing positions, the high cam for a comma in the first cam series (FIG. which corresponds to the home position of the knob 83 is placed between the third and the second denomination from the right, this series being allotted to Marl-1 and Pfennig and the like. In the second series of cams which will be allotted to the number of pieces or the like, the comma is omitted and, in the third cam series (kg-g), it could be arranged between the fourth and the third denomination from the right. In some quence of this arrangement of the cams, in the first turning positions of the cam cylinder, the adjustment of the favouredly occurring comma and commas positions can be readily and simply accomplished.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for controlling the printing of decimal signs in the amounts printed in calculating machines of the class described,

a printing mechanism comprising:

digital type carriers one for each denomination, carrying digital types and a zero type, decimal sign type carriers one between each pair of neighbouring digital type carriers, each decimal sign type carrier having a decimal point type, a comma type and a void spot,

a platen having a printing line and means for moving said digital type carriers against said platen,

means for adjusting each of said decimal sign type carriers into one of three positions, for bringing the decimal point type, the comma type or the void spot opposite the printing line,

said adjusting means comprising a decimal sign setting means consisting of a number of denominationally arranged control-units, each having a series of difierent control elements each associated to one of the three positions of said sign type carriers, means for moving said decimal sign setting means into a number of positions each associated to a distinct ordinal position of the decimal point of the amount to be printed, operative connecting means between each decimal sign type carrier and the control-unit of the same denomination adapted to move each sign type carrier into one of its three positions opposite the printing line according to the decimal point ordinal positions of the amount to be printed, and means for releasing the printing movement of said sign type carriers by the printing movement of the digital type carriers, whereby, on the printing movement of the digital type carriers, the decimal sign type carriers will print a decimal point, a comma, or neither of the two in ordinal positions of the amount to be printed according to the setting of said decimal sign setting means.

2. In a mechanism according to claim 1, said operative connecting means comprising means for displacing said decimal sign type carrier in a plane of its printing movement in a transverse direction with respect to the printing movement into three different positions from which, on

the printing movement, the comma type, the point type or neither of the two arrives at the printing line.

3. In a mechanism according to claim 1, said decimal sign type carriers having the form of push rods, said means for effecting the printing movement of the decimal type carriers comprising means for pushing said push rods in their longitudinal direction, said operative connecting means comprising a fixed cross bar shiftably mounting all of the decimal sign type carriers, a movable guide associated with each push rod shiftably mounting it and being spaced from said cross rod, said decimal sign types being situated at the front end of the push rod, said operative connecting means being adapted for displacing each movable guide into three diiferent positions causing three rocking positions of the associated push rod about said cross bar, in which the comma type, the point type or neither of the two is placed opposite to the printing line.

4. In a mechanism according to claim 1, said decimal sign setting means comprising a cam cyclinder having cams for each denomination arranged along helical lines on its circumference, said cams having partly a distinct height, partly the half of this distinct height, said operative connecting means comprising counter levers, one for each denomination cooperating with said earns, a movable guide at each counter lever, a pin at each decimal sign type carrier engaging said movable guide of the associated counter lever, whereby each decimal sign type carrier can be adusted by said cams into a decimal point or comma position.

5. In a mechanism according to claim I, a spring associated with each decimal sign type carrier, eifecting the printing movement thereof, said means for cheating the printing movement of the digital type carriers comprising a printing hammer for each digital type carrier, a tensile spring for each hammer, means for holding the hammers in an inactive position against the action of their tensile springs, means at the hammers for retaining the neighbouring decimal type carrier to the right in its inactive position against the action of its spring, whereby said decimal sign type carrier is released for printing the adjusted decimal sign when the hammer of its left hand side is released for printing movement.

6. In a mechanism according to claim 1, said decimal sign setting means comprising a cam cylinder composed of cam discs, each coordinated to one denomination, a square shaft mounting said cam discs, each cam discs having on its circumference cams of two difierent heights, said operative connecting means comprising counter levers cooperating with said cams, whereby the high cams control the printing of a decimal point and the low earns the printing of commas.

7. In a mechanism according to claim 1, said decimal sign setting means comprising a series of cams one for each denomination, the cams of each series being of two different heights, the high cams controlling the printing of a decimal point, the low one the printing of commas, said operative connecting means comprising counter levers each cooperating with one of said series of cams, and connections between said counter levers and said decimal sign type carriers for adjusting the latter into one of its three positions in dependence on said cams, a printing hammer associated with each digital type carrier, means at the hammer for retaining the neighbouring decimal sign type carrier to the right in its inactive position, and for freeing it on its printing movement, zero printing slides cooperating with said hammer for controlling the zero printing of said digital type carriers for eliminating the zero printing on the left of the highest denomination showing a significant digit, and for efiecting zero printing on the right of said denomination, operative connections between each counter lever and each zero printing slide adapted to move the zero printing slide into its active position by its counter lever when influenced by a high cam, whereby, when no digits appear in the amount on the left of the decimal point, the printing of commas on the left of the decimal point is omitted whilst it takes place on the right of the decimal point.

8. In a mechanism according to claim 1, said decimal sign setting means comprising a cam cylinder having series of cams each arranged in a radial plane and allotted to one denomination, means for stepwise turning said cam cylinder out of a starting position, means for elastically holding the cam cylinder in the adjusted turning position,

each turning position being coordinated to a distinct deci mal point position, said cams of each series comprising high cams and low cams, the high cams controlling the printing of a decimal point, the low ones the printing of commas, the high cams being arranged thus that they correspond in the starting and the next following turning positions of the cam cylinder to the most frequently occurring decimal point positions in the introduced amounts, whilst the other high cams being arranged along a helical line on the cam cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,197,277 Ellis Sept. 5, 1916 1,944,675 Tauschek Jan. 23, 1934 2,416,707 Metzner Mar. 4, 1947 2,688,439 Landseidel Sept. 7, 1954 2,702,159 Reppert Feb. 15, 1955 2,765,736 Swanson e Oct. 9, 1956 2,802,415 Heinze Aug. 13, 1957 2,819,672 Eckard Ian. 14, 1958 Lydfors Feb. 10, 1959 

